It's everything you could want it to be, piled with even more on top. While some will no doubt question and criticize an almost shot-for-shot remake of a beloved classic, this new vision overcomes any and all pitfalls along its way with style and splendor to spare. In an age of remakes that don't always work (think of the abysmal Cinderella in 2015) and re-imaginings that only occasionally do (Pete's Dragon, as opposed to Maleficent), it is certainly a risk to be aiming for the Golden Era of Disney musicals. With the likes of Aladdin and The Little Mermaid coming soon from the studio, one can only hope that Disney is up for the challenge. But if this film was any indication, we're in for a new golden age.
Taking up the torch of other fabulous remakes, Beauty and the Beast does everything right. Like the 1996 101 Dalmatians, it expands the story just enough to round out the characters, fill in plot holes, and address a new audience. Here we get a bit more of Belle's melancholy backstory, and while it doesn't seem quite necessary, it helps us understand the new dynamic between Belle and Maurice, played to perfection here by Kevin Kline. Maurice's sentimental vocation consists of making music boxes while Belle is now the inventor. This film slyly patches up shady holes from the cartoon such as its dubious timeline and the nature of the enchantress's magic. Not much is done to address the Stockholm syndrome or bestiality inherent in the story, but then again, why would it? That's the fun stuff. And while the marketing of this film was deeply flawed regarding its "gay agenda", let me assure you: there is no difference between this film and the cartoon in terms of LeFou. He was a simpering sycophant then and he is again here; representation of gay characters may be important, but so is good representation, and a flamboyant minion of the big baddie whose unrequited affections earn him physical punishment and emotional distress is not good representation. That said, the character does fare better than in the original, and here he is shown to break from Gaston during the climax to help the castle's inhabitants in repelling the violent townsfolk. And while the character is no more gay here than he was 26 years ago, we do see him dancing briefly with another man during the finale. Kind of like what happened at the end of Mamma Mia!, except without Colin Firth taking his shirt off.
It also, like last year's The Jungle Book, stays almost painfully true to the original -- down to exact musical numbers and bits of dialogue -- so that its state-of-the-art special effects and live-action visuals enchant us anew. "Necessity" be damned; I'd happily watch an exact replica of a classic cartoon done in live action any day, because animation doesn't always do it for me. It's just preference, so stop your bellyaching purist crap. There is so much detail carved into every single frame of the film that you'll never be able to catch everything. Richly detailed sets (production designer Sarah Greenwood also worked in Atonement, Anna Karenina, and the recent Sherlock Holmes films) and costumes (Jacqueline Durran, with similar credits) fashion a tangible tapestry with more style than you can appreciate. Realistic CGI mesmerizes you into believing in magic, and if that sounds paradoxical, it's just a testament to the colossal achievement of these filmmakers.
Other technical elements might deserve more praise than I can give, but lastly I'll mention the music. Hearing these beloved songs re-orchestrated is a magic on its own. We hear little countermelodies and darker edges to familiar tunes that make them seem fresh, as though we're hearing them for the first time. Alan Menken wrote some new music for the film with Tim Rice, and the songs fit in perfectly. They will also be new favorites. Of course, they gave one to Kevin Kline to sing that will tug at your heartstrings (and stick around for the credits, because Celine Dion sings it again, much like she did the title track for the original). They also gave a new one to the household staff, and while it's no "Human Again", it's a similar idea and no less lovely. The best, however, is saved for Dan Stevens (of Downton Abbey fame), who belts out the transcendent "Evermore" as he climbs the castle, watching Belle ride off to save her father. It's a brutal yank at your heartstrings that, I promise, will leave you feeling things.
Thankfully, as you might have gathered, Bill Condon shows that he knows how to use his fabulous ensemble cast to the best of their varied abilities. It's not easy to do, but here he finds the perfect moments to highlight everyone at their most fabulous. Luke Evans shows off his impressive singing chops while Josh Gad does his comedic thing, and the two share some great scenes together. Even better, the animated castle staff all have their places firmly staked out, and whether they're animated or not, all perform admirably. Keep your ears open for Ian McKellan, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-raw, and the incomparable Audra McDonald. I was a bit put off by Ewan McGregor's Lumiere (mostly because who is Lumiere but a Maurice Chevalier wannabe?), but it didn't take long for him to grow on me too.
But the greatest success of Beauty and the Beast is its unequivocal sense of Joy. It's pure and intoxicating from the first rapturous musical number. A furious cascade of song and dance, style and substance, color and light, the film flies through its two-hour running time with ease, puking its happiness out of the screen and into your heart. It's not a sensation we feel often in movies these days. But, then, don't we want more than this provincial life? It's here to say, "Bonjour!"
IMDb: Beauty and the Beast
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